Kansas deserves better

Not at a place like Kansas where he took a basketball school to the Orange Bowl.

Not in the Big 12, where just two years ago he became national coach of the year. It is both troubling and just that Mangino is gone after allegations of verbal and physical abuse of his players. Troubling because if allegations are true, then dozens of coaches and players are guilty of staying silent -- for years.

Only during a season-ending seven-game losing streak did word leak out. Troubling because those same coaches and players were too intimidated to say anything, worried about losing their scholarships or their jobs.

Who knows how many other players and coaches have been put in this situation at other schools? At Kansas, a code of silence enabled a flawed man to allegedly belittle his players. The decision to get rid of the coach is just, because Mangino had to be stopped.

His methods went beyond tough love or aggressive coaching. If only a fraction of the episodes are true -- many will never come to light -- then Mangino has been in denial about his conduct for too long. At this point it seems that the terms of the settlement will keep us from ever knowing the true extent of the alleged abuse. Reports have some of the conduct going back decades to a high school job for Mangino in Pennsylvania.

We can only hope that Mangino becomes a better man. As a coach, he was a discliplinarian, a trait that belied his 400-pound frame. Based on the allegations, anger management counseling might be in order. Let's hope his alleged victims recover too. Now it's time to move on.

Buffalo's Turner Gill is a perfect replacement. Right now, he is No. 1 on AD Lew Perkins' list.

The interest, it seems, is mutual.

A good coach -- and a better man -- for Kansas is waiting in the wings.

Kansas deserves better

Just a thought: Mangino's downfall is a result of losing the last 7 games. The AD began looking for a reason to get rid of him after the confrontation between the football players and the sacred basketball team. I am only guessing Mangino and Self probably got into it over that whole mess and Lew took Self's side. The real story will probably never come out. The verbal abuse crap is just a front. If you all remember Bill Self was on everyone's bad list his first couple of years until KU won the title, then he became a God. Mangino did well as a coach at KU. He turned the program around and deserved better. If he had anger and abusive problems they didn't just start this year.

Since: Apr 5, 2009

Posted on: December 4, 2009 4:09 pm

Kansas deserves better

My worriy is that Mangino will go to Nebraska or back to Kansas State.If either of these teams had a great OC they could be dangerous.

Since: Nov 30, 2009

Posted on: December 4, 2009 3:29 pm

Kansas deserves better

Dennis Dodd you seem to amaze me. You talk about allegations and how IF this is true he should never oh wait to didn't say that you said "Mark Mangino will never be a head coach again, not at this level.

Not at a place like Kansas where he took a basketball school to the Orange Bowl.

Not in the Big 12, where just two years ago he became national coach of the year. It is both troubling and just that Mangino is gone after allegations of verbal and physical abuse of his players."

So how come all of "the allegations and the kids who say them are so whole heartedly belief but the quotes from leaders like James Holt, Todd Reesing, Darrell Stuckey and Russell Brorsen that said they don't know what all of this is about and how they praised him doesn't hit the papers. I know how because Dennis Dodd can't sell being a big timer with out selling controversey or at least one sided back lash.

Do I think Mangino could of and possibly with sound of what's coming out go over the edge? Probably but do I think EVERY school has this and that he had NO complaints from Synder, Stoops, Leach seems to also make me belief that alot of this goes on everywhere.

Since: Nov 12, 2007

Posted on: December 4, 2009 3:23 pm

Kansas deserves better

Dodd. You are an idiot. I'd elaborate more but your article speaks for itself.

Since: Sep 19, 2007

Posted on: December 4, 2009 3:23 pm

Kansas deserves better

Wow guys, going crazy here. This guy obviously did some pretty bad things to warrant this departure. Doesn't anyone see the other side of this? I think there is more to this story and we may never hear it. But trust me he wouldn't have gone this quietly had he not done some bad things. I understand tough love just as the next person but there is a line and apparantley he crossed it. We'll see in the future if we hear more about it what actually happened. It may turn our you are right and he shouldn't have been fired. But the hand on the hot surface and the racial comments all the time? I just don't think there is a place for that in our society today. Tough football or not sorry.

Since: Dec 4, 2009

Posted on: December 4, 2009 2:48 pm

Kansas deserves better

I know a sportswriter who some former employees say did some really bad things. I can't talk about them, I don't really know what they were, and other people say that the allegations aren't true and that he's a great guy. Whatever. He clearly has problems and should not only be fired, but should be dragged through the mud and never have a job wirting about sports again.

Seems fair.

Since: Sep 3, 2008

Posted on: December 4, 2009 2:42 pm

Mangino deserves better

Mark Mangino and his family live in my neighborhood in New Castle, Pa. I would like to say they are one of the nicest and most giving families in our community. I met Mark and his wife last year when they were home visiting their family. They were walking through our neighborhood one afternoon and took the time to sign autographs for my 3 children. He was very affable and polite to them. These kids that he supposedly had trouble with were uneducated wannabee thugs from the 'HOOD' that in his comments " He cant change 18 years of bad parenting in four years". It's a shame that their lack of discipline and social skills is going to cost Mr. Mangino his job, money, and perhaps his career in Division 1 ball. All because he supposedly yelled at them and were mean to them and hurt their feelings. GIVE ME A BREAK! These future inmates of the America will get what they deserve and maybe one day they'll realize what the had in coach Mangino and be thankful. But probably not!

Since: Sep 14, 2008

Posted on: December 4, 2009 2:21 pm

Kansas deserves better

Dodd once again I question your journalist integrity, your investigative skills or ability to think coherently.

Mangino was a great coach for a program that had sunk to a bottom of the barrel, cellar dweller. He was too tough? BS! Players get verbally assualted (coached) in every manner as do soldiers. It is a technique that is time tested in helping tear someone's ego down and building them back up as successful team members. To one extent or another it is used by every successful coach at every level and in many industries besides sports.

If Mangino laid hands on a kid or forced some compulsory excercise it really is part of the game. If he was violent and touched a student in a truly threating manner that might actually harm him underneath all that padding, I might be more concerned.

Now obviously the trick is also to coddle the superstar that you really have to keep. That is because our society has allowed a sense of entitlement to build up with these kids that is really just unacceptable. Most division 1 players were stars on their high school team and so many feel they are certain to end up in the NFL. You think all those guys would have stayed quiet this length of time. Not a chance. At least one of those kids would have said "I am not putting up with this....I AM GOING TO BE A STAR!"

Mangino's teams (until this year) were cohesive and played well together. I don't recall anyone complaining until KU decided to begin looking for another coach. I hope he does hook on somewhere else. I think his is a very good coach.

Oh and nice swipe at his weight...lowest common demoninator there dude. Nice hair you idiot.

Since: Jul 1, 2008

Posted on: December 4, 2009 1:43 pm

Kansas deserves better

Listen Dodd! You are as wishy washy as Barack "I am insane" Obama. You get all over coaches for not disciplining players when they act up. Mangino calls players out who need their attention gotten and he is a monster. It goes to show that in the sports world, you have a cushy job, because you wouldn't cut it as a coach. You don't understand coaches you just criticzes them based on your world view that is unproven and in reality just doesn't work. The same lesson Barack Obama is learning as president. It isn't as easy as it was to criticize George Bush on the campaign trail. Blaming Mangino for players that like to shoot their mouths off makes as much sense as Obama blaming Fox News for questioning anything he does as president. Mangino knows what works for him and it is hard to argue from his results. The way he handles whinny, soft, egotistical, arrogant, and selfish players is up to him. No player had ever been injured from Mangino, in fact one players has spoken and said it is the way he gets our attention. And as for verbal abuse, give me a brake, anybody ever taught these over-privilege mindless wonders the lesson about, "sticks and stones." Football in Kansas is going soft.

Since: Sep 24, 2008

Posted on: December 4, 2009 1:42 pm

Kansas deserves better

Let's start this off by saying that I hate KU! With a passion. That said, I feel like the fat guy got a bit of a raw deal. He definitely said some foul things, but is it enough to run him off? That I don't know. But for Dodd to suggest that he'll never coach again at this level is idiotic at bare minimum. The fat guy knows how to win football games. As long as he continues to prove he can win, there will be a job for him.

Sure, he'll have to go to Podunk Valley College for a few years. But once he wins for two or three years there, the big boys will come calling in a hurry - as they should. Hopefully he'll learn how to discipline w/o crossing the line of tact, during that time.